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What took the media so long to ask questions on Libya?

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    Interest from the press on White House response slow to develop

  • Duration 8:41
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It was six weeks ago today that terrorists attacked the US consulate in been -- and Libya.

Now we've obtained the email alerts that were put out by the State Department as the attack unfolded.

As you know four Americans were killed including ambassador Christopher Stephens.

Good evening I'm -- -- -- just thirteen days ago before America votes emails obtained by Fox News show our nation's top leaders.

Were aware terrorist were taking credit for attacking the US mission in Libya.

The very day it happened and while the White House is now saying there was still confusion.

There are new questions about what could have been done in those early hours as the attack.

Was still ongoing.

CBS news on Monday Fox News on Tuesday new details about the terror attacks on the US consulate in -- Ghazi Libya.

Every day this past week we seem to have learned something new about who knew what and when they knew it.

Email sent to key members of the Obama administration detailing what was going on in Ben Ghazi and who was to blame.

Why did it take so long for the media to pay attention to this story and why did the White House seemed to spin it differently.

Columnist Charles Krauthammer shared his view earlier.

They might have made a calculation.

The media's interest in in the Romney stuff from that can be used in installed retail.

We write it out until I connect with the secretary of state said in the statement that we saw as we know let's not rush.

Any judgment because we're gonna get the report of a committee.

You know what -- committee's gonna report in the middle of may of next month that means after Election Day.

All they wanted to do from the -- to string -- until Election Day and why not run with a story.

But it's all about an American not to released a video and not about -- does the is the administration.

For.

Admitting that al-Qaeda is not on its heels but al-Qaeda is active.

Krauthammer went on to say in another appearance that the media ought to be embarrassed by their performance in this story Judy what do you think well I think some of the media definitely should be embarrassed and it is a sad sad day in America.

When the American press decides that this is a partisan issue.

That the death of four Americans.

Overseas.

Doesn't matter if the democratic president.

Is in charge that's what's been -- -- some people yes some people have -- into the administration's narrative even though most of the information that's come out.

Tends to question and challenge that narrative there has been so little skepticism.

On the part of some of the media.

Of what the administration has been saying.

You have said you said -- all along that information wants to be free now all of the information coming out the emails are coming out.

But the media interest has been slow to develop and there and it.

Perfectly happy to live with confusion and ambiguity in cloudiness about this and and an example of the kind of semantics sludge that we're dealing with when as as -- -- accurate news busters -- -- when Brian Williams interviewed President Obama he posed a question as.

So Mr.

President it was a spontaneous terrorist -- Note the oxy -- spent spontaneous -- those are two different things spontaneous spontaneity in in terrorism but the point is you can.

The question like that to the president well you know if we're still working on more smoke more smoke more -- more clouds.

And the media go on and then eight as as -- -- and -- -- find out they're much more happy on The Today Show NBC is also channel.

Station -- -- Snooki vacuum cleaners.

Reports and of course the all important -- customs.

You have an -- on -- register -- sludge dot com yeah.

I think and I guess they -- -- question is -- is a right wing website is what they find anti liberal or anti conservative bias under every.

That Internet search far and about -- David Kirkpatrick report the New York Times that this in fact was.

Related to a video.

You had the Washington Post -- the CIA briefing that came out of September 16 that said.

It was having to do with a video it was all kinds of conflicting information Condoleezza Rice just said the other day you have to wait a lonely information is out.

So is -- part of the left wing media why hasn't the media reported more on these particular points which all I keep hearing is -- terribly administration's been.

But the points I just -- have been very rarely required let's go -- right.

Forty years probably before you were born out -- -- -- in 1972 election Watergate was just starting to break.

What was the media reaction now they assigned Woodward and Bernstein of the Washington Post to dig these things out.

The Nixon administration was stonewalling the media.

Trying to keep information from trickling out -- didn't come out until after the election and Nixon won a landslide against the late George McGovern.

And but he did come out eventually now -- two questions your first of all.

But if this were Republican in the White House the media -- already attach the suffix gate to it.

Secondly.

With the exception of fox and the superior reporting of Jennifer Griffin Brett -- and Catherine Herridge.

The major newspapers and networks are not going after this cover up and it is a cover up income as the Watergate people at the emperor and whatnot who knew what and -- -- -- Certainly sounded the the rescue operation and who made the decision to say no we don't want those people to go and these are all legitimate question and those questions need to be answered when they get all the information you don't get -- hot -- of an attack as well Condoleezza Rice herself except we're about six weeks after the attack on doesn't it Judy -- -- the question is are reporters reluctant to ask some of these questions because we're in the middle anywhere in the closing days really of a presidential campaign.

It's it's.

That may be a factor for some media I think a lot of the other media are frightened by what.

Allen is referred to -- the confusion about what actually happened but I would divide this story into two parts.

What happened on the ground in -- how many people were there why would they sign why -- the security cell where -- so few people insecurity and this part of it.

Is what did didn't president and the administration saying to explain what happened and on that you've seen a singular lack of skepticism on the part of.

Me we get here -- ask ask -- said there Pulitzer prizes -- to be one up.

Pretty big name investigative reporters Bob Woodward Seymour -- Brian Ross all -- people seem to be on the sidelines.

Instead of being digging into the story for -- irritated by the way said terrorism two successive days after.

September 11 and that gets lost in this from Mitt Romney skipped mid misrepresented that the second debate.

Talent and not even clear that his reference to terror acts of terror.

Was still in fact if there's and volley on second day in Denver and actually was much clearer when he said at the second time in Denver -- what -- after the Rose Garden let's talk about that CBS had a big interview on sixty minutes with the president on September 12 but this part of the interview was not carried on the broadcast it was put on the Internet.

-- -- -- We're we're still investigating exactly what happened I don't want to jump the gun on this but.

It.

You're right that this is not a situation that was.

Exactly the same as what happened in Egypt and my suspicion is is that there are folks involved in this who we're looking to target Americans.

From the start.

So we're gonna.

Make sure that our first priority is to get our folks at stake.

Make sure that our embassies are -- around the world.

And -- we're gonna go after those folks who -- -- September 12.

The day after the attacks Judy -- well that didn't air CBS didn't hot air that broadcast it.

That portion -- in comprehensively.

Than what were they thinking especially when.

-- sounds had this became an issue you'd think at some point CBS would have chosen to publicize.

Some very interesting footage that attack.

And then there's ABC the Media Research Center folks which -- -- they are in only conservative leaning media watchdog organizations say that all of the major news networks except ABC.

Did some news at least one major story about ABC did twenty seconds.

Brent Bozell the president of MRC says ABC has been shielding Obama from the Ben Ghazi fallout for weeks.

In order to help him we win reelection but.

American people see right through it right right ending -- anticipate Alan your percent had a great if -- -- need to get it.

If the media -- senator's facts about.

-- into the second how many seconds -- network devoted -- story are correct.

Then it doesn't matter whether they have buyers out there simply pointing out a true statement that I think it -- doesn't it let our time the story they would have.

Pointed out them linked to the film for example in some of the other issues that have not been covered in any of the media we.

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